Lungpinglak Domtta (Ping) is the youngest of four siblings from Nagaland in north India. His father is a Hindu but his mother is a Christian, and the siblings all take after her in following Jesus. Today, Ping is preparing to fly with MAF in Kenya and South Sudan.

Shattered dreams?

When he was growing up, Ping didn’t know anyone from an aviation background, but when he was ten years-old, he had a dream of becoming a pilot. As a teenager, he imagined himself joining the Indian Air Force, and during his final years at school, a career councillor introduced him to the idea of work in civil aviation. Soon after, Ping failed a crucial maths exam, which prevented him from joining courses to become a pilot and left his dream in tatters.

There was a silver lining

God however, had other plans. Pursuing other career options enabled Ping to re-sit his exams, and a ‘chance’ discovery of an advert offering sponsorship to become a commercial pilot gave him renewed hope. He applied for the course, was accepted, and earned his licence to fly. After securing a pilot’s job with a commercial operator, whenever Ping needed to fly to northern India, he had to ask permission from Bangladeshi authorities to briefly enter their airspace. He became friends with his contact over the border, who upon discovering Ping’s Christian faith, told him about MAF’s work in Bangladesh.

The idea of flying for God, not profit, greatly appealed to Ping. Researching MAF online, Ping realised he didn’t have enough flying hours to join the organisation though, and that there was no office in India to apply to. Taking a leap of faith, he applied to MAF International anyway, detailing his aviation background and faith in Christ. Ping was accepted, and completed a licence conversion to fly with MAF in Arnhem Land, Australia – where the relatively flat terrain is suitable for pilots with lower flight hours.

Onwards to South Sudan via Kenya

Ping was a huge hit among the Aboriginal Yolngu he was serving in their remote homelands. God was not finished with him though, and with extra flying hours to his name, Ping was offered the opportunity to fly for MAF in Africa. After leaving Arnhem Land, he travelled to Kenya, where he is currently undergoing licence conversions that will enable him to fly not only there but in South Sudan too. This quarter, a training flight to Marsabit with pilot Daniel Loewen-Rudgers in 5Y-MAE brought Ping closer to that goal, and added a further step to his incredible journey of faith.

Update from Kenya

Recently, He helped the dispatch team load 960kg of maize flour onto an MAF aircraft. The flour was a donation from a local agency, JPCM, to the people of Lodwar, Kenya. 'I’m glad to be a part of this journey' says Ping.

The following report was published in an issue of MAF News in June 1971. The writer, MAF Pilot Les Brown, accompanied Dr. Dick Anderson of AIM and Pastor Peter an African Pastor, on an evangelistic medical outreach in Kenya similar to the safaris still flown today.

Jubilee Boarding School provides opportunities for visually impaired students from villages in Northern Kenya. MAF pilot Melvin Peters has helped the school recently by flying and installing a gutter system for rainwater collection.

MAF recently flew Waves for Water to Kisumu to visit one of their well water projects which will help a whole village, including 140 children in an orphanage, to access clean, safe drinking water. Photos by Mark & Kelly Hewes

MAF Kenya partners RedTribe have struggled for many years with a sub-standard airstrip to bring volunteers and visitors in. Recently, the community rehabilitated an old airstrip, much closer to RedTribe's base, allowing MAF to support them more effectively.

On the mountains of the Kenya-Tanzania border, a great Maasai celebration filled the air as their new school buildings are opened. On board the MAF plane was a man who helped make it possible: former Olympian and COCO charity founder Steve Cram. Katie Machell reports.